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Multi Level Maintenance and Stabling for Railways

Having stayed for quite some time in Singapore, I am familiar with the problems they are facing when further developing their city-state. Spacial areas for all types of usages are very limited: The city-state seeks to grow significantly its population while creating a sustainable quality of living with dense areas, but also sufficient space for culture, commerce, sports and public services. One of these public services is certainly the transport backbone the Singaporean Land Transport Authority (LTA) has created with the MRT and Bus network.

Given the rapid expansion in population, LTA is also expanding its network with new lines such as the extension to the Down Town line or the Thompson East line. New lines means in this case also more rolling stock and a requirements to have sufficient stabling and maintenance facilities.

Already in 2014, LTA has considered to develop a combined stabling and workshop area for multiple lines as shown in the fact sheet storing 220 train sets, or about the fleet of the Zurich S-Bahn network in one building.
Now, LTA has awared the 1.46bn USD ‘four-in-one’ depot contract to a Korean consortium the contract to develop this project saving over 40 ha of space.

Many European railway operators occupy currently prime areas within the city center for stabling and maintenance works which collieds with many cities plans to develop more dense and resource efficient urban areas. If the project from Singapore should prove to be successful, it could be an interesting approach for Europe as well.